Rotary ice-breaking machine.



No 850,093. PATENTED APR. 9, 1907. G. M. MILLS.

ROTARY ICE BREAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 11. 1905.

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PATENTED APR. 9. 1907.

G. M. MILLS.

ROTARY ICE BREAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 1905.

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- C'lffoz 1 wi 1 l m/tmaooeo GEORGE M. MILLS, OF'JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

ROTARY ICE-BREAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Implication filed December 11, 1905- Elerial No. 291,216.

Be it known that I, Gnonon M. MILLs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey (.ity, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Rotar lce- Breaking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ice-breaking machines.

It has for its object, first, to provide means whereby the ice may bebroken without producing snow-ice,- second, to provide means whereby the size of the pieces into which the ice. is tobe broken may be regulated third, to provide means whereby the direction of the discharge of the pieces of ice may be regulated, and, fourth, to n'ovide a device of the charm-tier set forth em odying advantages in point of perfect operation, simplicity, and inexpensivencss of construction, strength, and durability.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the machine; Fig. 2, a front view Fig. 3, a plan view; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical sectional view; .llig. 5, a fragmentary detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the means for regulating the size of the pieces into which the ice is to be broken. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, ofthe triangular bar and plates thereon. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail side view, on an enlarged scale, showing one of the ice-breaking teeth and the means for removably securing it to one of the rings forming the cylinder. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the triangular bar and plates thereon.

In all the figures of the drawings illustrating my invention like reference characters designate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the casing of the machine comprises side plates 1 and 2, having their upper ends connected together at the front by a rearwardly-slanting date 3 and at the rear by a curved plate 4, thereby forming a compartment 5, having an upper or recciying opening and a lower or discharging opmung VVit-lnn the compartment '5 is loeatedan ice-breaking cylinder comprising rings 7, each having immovable ice-breaking teeth 8 and. being independently secured upon the power-shaft 9, which is journaled in bearings 10 on the side plates and provided on one end with a loose pulley 11 and a fast pulley 12 and on the other end with a sprocketpartmcnt casing at mg a forwardly-projeeting 14, provided with lateral cutting edges 15, an undcrcuttingedge 16, and adepending tongue 17, having inwardly-slanting front and rear edges 18 and 19, respectively, and parallel side faces 20, said tongue being of less width than the head, so as to form lateral shoulders 21, adapted to rest on the cylinder. Oblong slots 25 are provided in the cylinder to receive and hold said teeth, said slots being made of greater length than the tongues and having substantially parallel rcarwardlyslanting front and rear walls so and 27, respectively, and parallel side walls. The slots 25 extend at the rear into circular recesses 30, each having a screw-threaded hole extending through its bottom wall and adapted to receive the screw-thrcarled shank of a bimling-scrcw 3], the head of said bindingserew being adapted to seat in the notch 30 and engage and turn in a notch 32 in the rear face of a wedge-shaped. block 33, and thereby provide means for positively raising and'lowcring said block, the frontslanting face of which is adapted to bear against the rear edge of the tongue 17 and hold the tooth, in place. vious that when the binding-screw is turned pointed portion From this construction it will be ob-' wheel 13. Each tooth embodies a head havoutwardly by means of aspanner inserted in the square hole 34. therein the Wedge-shaped block will be drawn outwardly to disengage and release the tooth and that when the binding-screw is turned inwardly by means of the spanner the wedge-shaped block will be forced inwardly to engage and clamp the toothin position.

Beneath the (.lischargeopcning of the com- 5 is located the spiral ice-conveyor 35, which is journaled in bearings 36 on the side plates and rotated by -mcans of a S1,)IoCli0l3-Wlle0l 37 on the shaft 38 thereof, connected with the sprocket-whccl 13 on the drive-shaft 9 by a sprocket-chain 39.

A chute is provided for directing the dis charge of the ice from the machine, said chute embodying curved sections or plates 40 and 41, pivoted on the side plates of the each side of the spiral conveyor and adapted to be turned in one direction on their pivots, so as to close beneath the conveyor and direct the discharge of the ice through a hole 42 in the side .plate 2 or turned in the opposite direction on their pivots to open and allow the discharge directly downwardly.

The means for opening and closing the ..screwthrcaded holes in earing-blocks'fiil,

pivotally supported in recess in the upper edges of the curved sections of the chute, from which construction it will be understood that when the rod .50 is turned in one direction the curved sections will be turned on their pivots 'so as to open and when turned in the reverse direction the curved sections will be turned on their pivots so asto close.

A triangular bar'60, having flattened corners, is rotatably mounted between the plate 3 and the curved section 40, one end of said bar being provided with a journal 61, mounted in a bearing-pl ate 62, secured to the plate 1', and the other end of said bar'being received by an angular sleeve on the inner face of a disk'63, rotatably mounted in a bearing 64,

formed on the side plate 2-.

The outer, face of the disk 63 is provided with cars 65, between which is pivotally' mounted a handle 66, having a lug 67 formed on its inner face near one end and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from notches (58 in a flange 69 on the side plate 2 to adjust and [ix the triangular bar in the desired position and in its other end with a spring-prcssed pin 69', engaging the disk 63.

Plates 70 are secured by screws to the wide faces of the triangular bar 60 and provided with varying numbers ,of ice-breaking teeth 71 and ilanges72, adapted to engage the'flattened corners of the triangular bar and re licve the strain on the. screws, from which construction it will be understood that when the bar 60 is turned and locked so that the pl ate having the greatest number of ice-break- I ing teeth is brought flush with the lower end of the plate 3 and facing the cylinder the ice passing from the chamber down between the ribs and the teeth on the cylinder will be cut into smallpieces, that when the plate having the least number of teeth is brought into position and the bar locked the ice passing from the chamber down between the teeth will be cut into large pieces, and that when the other plate is brought into position and the bar locked the ice passing from. the chamber down between the teeth will be. cut into medium-sizedpieces. p

The operation' of the machine is as follows: The handle 66 is turned to bring the plate having the required number of teeth flush with the plate 3, and ifit is desired-to discharge the ice to the side the handle 51 is turned to close the curved sections of the chute, whereupon if ice be introduced into the chamber 5 and the machinebe started the teeth 8 of the cylinder will draw the ice down against the teeth on the triangular bar 66 and cosaopas act therewith in breaking it up, after which it will be discharged through the hole 42 by the spiral conveyer.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details and arrangements of parts shown and described, but rcserve the right to all modifications within the scope of my invention;

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In an 1cebreaking machine, the eombi nation of the casing havinga side d ischargingopening and ya bottom discharging-open ng, a drschargmg-conve-yer and a chute for (llrecting the discharge through the side or the bottom discharging-opening embodying pivoted sections adapted to be opened and closed below said conveyor, substantially as described.

2. In an ice-breaking machine, the combi nation of the casing having a side dischargmg-open1ng and a bottom discharging-opening, a discharging-conveyer and a chute for directing the discharge through the side or the bottom discharging-opening embodying pivoted sections adapted to be openc l. and

closed below said conveyor, and means for 0 ening and closing said sections, substantlally as described.

3. In an ice-breaking machine,' the combination of the casing having a side diseharg ing-opening and a bottom discharging-opening, a'discharging-conveyer anda ehu'te for directing thedischarge through the side or the bottom discharging-opening embodying pivoted sections adapted to be opened and closed below said conveyer, and an oppositely-screw-threaded rotatable rod for opening'and closing said sections, substantially as described. V Y In an ice-breaking machine, a cylinder havin'g slots and screw-threaded holes, icebreaking teeth provided with tongues projecting into said slots, wedges having under cut notches and projecting into said slots and engaging said tongues and set-screws pro ject ing into said screw-threaded holes and their heads engaging the undercut notches in said wedges, substantially as described.

5. In an ice-breaking machine, a cylinder having slots and screw-threaded holes, icebr'eaking teeth provided with tongues projecting into said slots, wedges having undercut notches and projecting into said slots and engaging said tongues-and set-screws rovided with spanner-holes and projecting into said screw-threaded holes and their heads engaging the undercut notches in said wedges,

substantially as described;

6. In an ice-break1ng mach-ine,.' a cylinder having slots and screw-threadgid'holes, icebreaking teeth provided with forwardly-pro jecting points having cutting edges and tongues pro ecting 1nto sa1d. slots, vedges havin undercut notches and projecting into said s ots and engaging said tongues and set screws projecting 1nto said screw-threaded holes and their heads enga ing the undercut notches in said wedges, su stantially as described.

7. In an ice-breaking machine, the combination of the casing, a cylinder having ice-.

' regulating the'size of the pieces into which the ice is to be cut embodying a-rotatable bar provided with varyin numbers of ice-breaking teeth and means or adjusting and fixing said bar embodying a disk, secured to said bar, a spring-pressed handle pivoted thereon and a flange-on said casing provided with notches adapted to be engaged by said handle, substantially as described.

9. In an ice-breaking machine the combination of the casing, a cylinder having icebreakin teeth, means cooperating therewith for regu ating the size of the pieces into which the ice is to be cut, embodying a rotatable,

bar rovided with varying numbers of icebreaking teeth and means for adjusting and fixing said bar embodying a spring-presscd handle pivoted thereon and means on said casing ada ted to be engaged by said handle, substantially as described.

10. In an ice-breaking machine the combination of a cylinder having slots and screwthreaded holes, ice-breaking teeth having tongues projecting into said slots, wedges having undercut notches and projecting into said slots and engaging said tongues, setscrews projecting into said holes, and their heads engaging the undercut notches in said Wedges and means cooperating with said teeth for regulating the size of the pieces into which the iceis to be cut embodying a rotatable bar having ice-breaking teeth, substantially as described.

1 1. In an ice-breaking machine the combination of a cylinder having ice-breaking teeth and means cooperating therewith embodying a rotatable angular bar 'provided with flattened corners and plates secured thereon and having varying numbers, of icebreaking teeth and flanges engaging said flattened corners, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 1st day of December, A. D. 1905.

GEORGE M. MILLS. Witnesses:

CHAS. L. WOLF, A. B. BLAGKWOOD. 

